Books - Fiction

"For sheer storytelling delight and pure adventure, Treasure Island has never been surpassed. From the moment young Jim Hawkins first encounters the sinister Blind Pew at the Admiral Benbow Inn until the climactic battle for treasure on a tropic isle, the novel creates scenes and characters that have fired the imaginations of generations of readers. Written by a superb prose stylist, a master of both action and atmosphere, the story centers upon the conflict between good and evil - but in this case a particularly engaging form of evil. It is the villainy of that most ambiguous rogue Long John Silver that sets the tempo of this tale of treachery, greed, and daring. Designed to forever kindle a dream of high romance and distant horizons, Treasure Island is, in the words of G. K. Chesterton, 'the realization of an ideal, that which is promised in its provocative and beckoning map; a vision not only of white skeletons but also green palm trees and sapphire seas.' G. S. Fraser terms it 'an utterly original book' and goes on to write: 'There will always be a place for stories like Treasure Island that can keep boys and old men happy.'

Written in his distinctively dazzling manner, Oscar Wilde’s story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is the author’s most popular work. The tale of Dorian Gray’s moral disintegration caused a scandal when it first appeared in 1890, but though Wilde was attacked for the novel’s corrupting influence, he responded that there is, in fact, “a terrible moral in Dorian Gray.” Just a few years later, the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde’s homosexual liaisons, which resulted in his imprisonment. Of Dorian Gray’s relationship to autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, “Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps.

En ce dimanche de Pâques et sous le feu encore brûlant de l’actualité concernant l’incendie de « Notre-Dame de Paris », ce magnifique témoin de la capitale qui a connu les flammes dans la soirée du 15 avril 2019, un édifice dont Victor Hugo avait écrit un ouvrage, voici le moment venu d’en parler un peu, malgré les nombreuses critiques élogieuses déjà publiées. Je me bornerai donc à une petite participation pour apporter mon obole.Pendant que toutes les cloches de ma ville (et d’ailleurs) carillonnent avec celles venues de Rome pour l’occasion, c’est à ce fabuleux roman que je pense, un grand classique de la littérature française que Victor Hugo a écrit en six mois sous la pression de son éditeur. Pour ce faire, il n’est pas sorti de chez lui afin de satisfaire la demande. L’émission hebdomadaire de « La Grande Librairie » du 19 avril dernier s’est faite dans l’urgence et a « chamboulé » son programme pour évoquer « Notre-Dame de Paris » : Ken Follett avait fait spécialement le déplacement – François Cheng était venu également ainsi que d’autres écrivains (dont un dessinateur talentueux qui a, entre autres, dessiné une Esmeralda qui survolait la cathédrale) - sans parler d’artistes qui ont lu des textes.Pour ma part, je dois reconnaître que ce livre est un livre très ancien – je l’ai lu et relu de très nombreuses fois – il est resté présent à mon esprit car il fait partie des chefs-d’œuvre que l’on ne peut pas oublier.Les personnages principaux y sont : bien sûr la belle Esmeralda (une danseuse bohémienne qui vit dans la Cour des Miracles - elle représente la vie libre, fantasque, elle est le charme, la beauté et sa chèvre, Djali l’accompagne)) – Quasimodo (le bossu, le sonneur de cloches, terriblement laid mais amoureux de Esmeralda) – le superbe Phoebus (un archer qui intervient pour tenter de sauver la belle) – l’archidiacre Frollo (lui aussi amoureux fou de Esmeralda) – le pauvre Gringoire (qui se retrouve en pleine Cour des Miracles, conduit devant le roi des Thunes et qui doit mourir à moins qu’une femme veuille bien l’épouser ; c’est Esmeralda qui le prend en pitié et devient sa femme platonique).De cet ouvrage tombé dans le domaine public mais qui resurgit avec le sinistre effroyable survenu dans ce monument qui se dresse avec majesté depuis huit siècles à Paris, mais qui, meurtri, reste debout, je dois avouer que je l’ai trouvé passionnant. J’ai revu toutes les gargouilles – tout ce que l’on pouvait visiter quand j’y suis allée – la magnificence et la colossale structure avec ses beffrois…« Notre-Dame de Paris », tu as été grièvement blessée mais tu as gardé bien des trésors et, des cendres, vont renaître d’autres éléments à ta gloire.Il y a, heureusement, de beaux restes avec le travail de « Viollet-le-Duc, l’architecte qui réinventa Notre-Dame » au XIXe siècle en se référant au Moyen-Âge. La superbe flèche est tombée ? On en reconstruira une autre. Tu as également été bien utile à notre Sylvain Tesson qui t’a escaladée de nombreuses fois et qui dit que tu lui a sauvé la vie…De ce bel ouvrage qu’est « Notre-Dame de Paris » de Victor Hugo, qui a traversé bien de nombreuses années et que l’on consulte tant de fois car il est inoubliable, c’est avec un grand plaisir que l’on s’y plonge car il est tout simplement envoûtant – non seulement par le touchant roman d’amour – mais aussi par la folie – un peu d’humour qu’a glissé l’auteur avec, par exemple, les femmes habillées en bourgeoises et décrivant leurs tenues vestimentaires.« Notre-Dame de Paris » a été et restera un beau roman historique ainsi que romanesque – un classique parmi les classiques dont a été tirée une jolie comédie musicale ainsi qu’une belle chanson (qui me trotte dans la tête) – une œuvre d’un génie qui l’a écrite à l’âge de vingt-neuf ans….Que dire de plus et qui n’a pas été déjà dit ? C’est bien difficile. Une histoire où se succèdent tant d’événements, de catastrophes – une fin tragique…J’ajouterai seulement que c’est un récit bouleversant malgré son âge (et dire que je n’aime pas les histoires d’amour mais ici elle est bien particulière) et que les cloches continuent à sonner pour la saluer à sa juste valeur. Un autre trait particulier est que ce récit a été immédiatement associé à La Esmeralda (qui en espagnol signifie « émeraude ».)Pour moi cela reste une perle bien précieuse.Mais je parlais d’une certaine chanson, celle de la comédie musicale, chantée par Garou  : « Quand les années auront passé / On retrouvera sous terre / Nos squelettes enlacés / Pour dire à l'univers / Combien Quasimodo aimait / Esméralda la zingara / Lui qui Dieu avait fait si laid /Pour l'aider à porter sa croix / Mangez mon corps, buvez mon sang / Vautours de Montfaucon / Que la mort au-delà du temps / Unisse nos deux noms / Laissez mon âme s'envoler / Loin des misères de la terre / Laisser mon amour se mêler / A la lumière de l'Univers / Danse mon Esméralda / (…) / Laisse moi partir avec toi / Mourir pour oit n'est pas mourir / Danse mon Esmeralda / Chante mon Esmeralda ... »En conclusion ultime, je m’aperçois que j’ai non seulement un peu parlé de l’ouvrage mais aussi de la cathédrale parmi les cathédrales, qui, telle un Phénix va renaître de ses cendres et je lui ai, ainsi, rendu un petit hommage.

An intimate portrait of two men who cherish the slim bond between them and the dream they share in a world marred by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. Clinging to each other in their loneliness and alienation, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own—a couple of acres and a few pigs, chickens, and rabbits back in Hill Country where land is cheap. But after they come to work on a ranch in the fertile Salinas Valley of California, their hopes, like "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men," begin to go awry.Of Mice and Men also represents an experiment in form, as Steinbeck described his work, "a kind of playable novel, written in novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands." A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films. Steinbeck's tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels.--front flap

An eccentric Englishman accepts a challenge to circle the globe with unprecedented speed. Exotic locales, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and comic relief provide a fantastic blend of adventure, entertainment, and suspense. - For generations, readers have enjoyed classic literature. They have delighted in the romance of Jane Austen, thrilled ... more »at the adventures of Jules Verne, and pondered the lessons of Aesop. Introduce young readers to these familiar volumes with Great Illustrated Classics. In this series, literary masterworks have been adapted for young scholars. Large, easy-to-read type and charming pen-and-ink drawings enhance the text. Students are sure to enjoy becoming acquainted with traditional literature through these well-loved classics.

A decent read.Starts out as a sort of mystery story, but evolves into more character-centric story.The downsides: - The incessant scientific descriptions of the fauna. I mean seriously, telling me a fish's full scientific classification doesn't really do anything for me. - Pacing is a bit weird. - Ending felt abrupt and didn't really add to the story. It felt like Verne just got tired of writing and quickly thew together a "conclusion". - The book's protagonist is easily the second most boring character. - I really liked where he was going with Captain Nemo, but at the end he just...stopped. I wanted to know more about that enigmatic figure.The upsides: - The adventure was pleasantly more diverse than I had anticipated. - Captain Nemo was actually a pretty interesting character to me...although he wasn't fleshed out well enough, in my opinion. - Descriptions of the tools, technology, equipment, etc were always cool. Hello Steampunk! - I liked Ned Land. Dude wants to wreck some shit!(Listened to it via librivox.org)

First published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is regarded as Jack London's masterpiece. Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.

Dumas's classic adventure tale of D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Classics Illustrated tells this wonderful tale in colorful comic strip form, providing an excellent introduction for younger readers. Also includes theme discussions and study questions.

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 0553213695 / 9780553213690"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was laying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes." With it's startling, bizarre, yet surprisingly funny first opening, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis. It is the story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. A harrowing—though absurdly comic—meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of twentieth-century fiction. As W.H. Auden wrote, "Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of modern man."

You can find an alternative cover edition for this ISBN here and here.A rich selection of background and source materials is provided in three areas: Contexts includes probable inspirations for Dracula in the earlier works of James Malcolm Rymer and Emily Gerard. Also included are a discussion of Stoker's working notes for the novel and "Dracula's Guest," the original opening chapter to Dracula. Reviews and Reactions reprints five early reviews of the novel. "Dramatic and Film Variations" focuses on theater and film adaptations of Dracula, two indications of the novel's unwavering appeal. David J. Skal, Gregory A. Waller, and Nina Auerbach offer their varied perspectives. Checklists of both dramatic and film adaptations are included.Criticism collects seven theoretical interpretations of Dracula by Phyllis A. Roth, Carol A. Senf, Franco Moretti, Christopher Craft, Bram Dijkstra, Stephen D. Arata, and Talia Schaffer.A Chronology and a Selected Bibliography are included.

'In what may be Dickens's best novel, humble, orphaned Pip is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman — and one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of "great expectations." In this gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward, the compelling characters include Magwitch, the fearful and fearsome convict; Estella, whose beauty is excelled only by her haughtiness; and the embittered Miss Havisham, an eccentric jilted bride

Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.Frankenstein, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.

Among Shakespeare's plays, "Hamlet" is considered by many his masterpiece. Among actors, the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is considered the jewel in the crown of a triumphant theatrical career. Now Kenneth Branagh plays the leading role and co-directs a brillant ensemble performance. Three generations of legendary leading actors, many of whom first assembled for the Oscar-winning film "Henry V", gather here to perform the rarely heard complete version of the play. This clear, subtly nuanced, stunning dramatization, presented by The Renaissance Theatre Company in association with "Bbc" Broadcasting, features such luminaries as Sir John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson and Christopher Ravenscroft. It combines a full cast with stirring music and sound effects to bring this magnificent Shakespearen classic vividly to life. Revealing new riches with each listening, this production of "Hamlet" is an invaluable aid for students, teachers and all true lovers of Shakespeare - a recording to be treasured for decades to come.

Killing a sixty-ton sperm whale that could destroy a boat with a flick of its massive tail was no easy task. Whalemen of the early nineteenth century were not just hunters, they were also explorers—sailing on the uncharted sea in search of some of the largest creatures on earth. The most famous whale of all? Moby Dick. Here are Ishmael, Queequeq, Ahab, and of course, Moby Dick, rendered anew in a dynamic comic book adaptation of one of the greatest American novels ever written. The book also includes information about Herman Melville, facts about whales, and the history of the whaling industry. With all the flare and blaze of Melville’s original story, Moby Dick is sure to intrigue a new generation of readers with this fast-paced and electric portrayal of the famous battle between man and beast.

The year is 1327. Benedictines in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.”